You need not be a 3 star Michelin chef to cook an award winning prime rib. Well, unless you would like to sell a plate for over a hundred dollars. I have cooked in lowly night clubs, to Wolfgang Puck’s Spago. I have taught interns from the Culinary Institute of America and Johnston and Wales; I have worked and befriended James Beard awarded chefs and nominees, and I have cooked for celebrities. Truthfully, none of that matters because a good chef is just a cook. A wonderful prime rib is produced with love, simple ingredients, and basic kitchen equipment.

Now, someone can spend hundreds of dollars on a prime rib or less than forty. It gets more expensive if you want the beef grass fed, corn fed, massaged, and drunk on sake. Furthermore, how long would you like your beef aged sir or madam? Personally, I would go to a package store and buy a prime rib. I have bought natural super prime beef before, and the finished product was just same as the cheaper product. Love your ingredients, care for them, and they will return the favor.

I could introduce all sorts of French terminology here, but I will skip the gobbledygook. I will explain how I cook prime rib. After hundreds of attempts this is the one.

So, get a roasting pan. Aluminum ones can be bought at your local grocery; I like them because they are cheap and can be discarded.

Ok, get some celery, carrots, onions, and then rough chop them. Peel them of course, but they do not have to be uniform. Speed is the key here. Throw all of the vegetables into your roasting pan. 1 stalk of celery, 4-8 decent sized carrots, and a few white onions will do. Hey, throw in some red potatoes if you want, and while you are at it, place 2-3 full sprigs of whole rosemary on top too.

Now, rub your meat with salt and pepper. A little oil will help it adhere properly. I use kosher salt but what you have will do. Also, a little fresh thyme will add another layer of flavor to your alchemy.

Next, throw that rib on top of the veggies, wrap it in plastic, and cover it with aluminum foil. Set you oven to 400 degrees, and drink some wine for an hour. You will need to check the temperature of the meat to know if it is done. You can purchase a digital thermometer, or an old school one. 120 degrees is mid-rare, 130-135 medium, 140 medium-well, and 150-165 is leather. The probe needs to be inserted into the middle of the meat. I cook the meat 10 degrees under and let it rest because once meat cooks to temp, it cooks a little more. I also let the meat rest because if not, the pristine juices will rush out of the meat.

The cooking process depends upon your oven, the desired temperature, and the size of your roast. So, expect at least an hour to three hours. This is a restaurant quality recipe, and I have not given any measurements because I have not measured ingredients in over ten years.

I have found pleasure in my craft because “cooking brings people together.” I hope your family comes together this holiday and all is well for the New Year.